CLEMSON — Not known to sport a sour attitude, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney cheerfully addressed the media Wednesday before the Tigers’ first day of spring football practice, looking almost giddy at the thought of another season in Death Valley.

And why shouldn't he be? Clemson returns 15 starters from a team that went 12-2 in 2017, won a third straight ACC Championship and advanced to a third straight College Football Playoff. Swinney called the first day of spring ball “a day of enthusiasm” and while he and his staff saw a lot of good things on film from last year’s team, there are areas in which the Tigers can improve.

And so, just like any team does when it hasn’t taken the field in a while, Clemson will get back to basics for the next few weeks, laying a foundation to build upon in the fall.

“Spring ball is about starting over,” Swinney said. “It’s about the details of your position, it’s about the details of the system … and just the fundamentals and techniques that apply to everything. Lot of work on Clemson in the spring, that’s what it’s all about. Trying to get people in the right place to evaluate.”

On paper, this could be the most talented team Clemson has had under Swinney; the depth, talent and motivation after a loss at the hands of Alabama draws immediate comparisons to Clemson’s national championship team in 2016. And similar to that team, the 2018 Tigers feature veteran leadership to boot.

After fielding six scholarship seniors last season, Swinney estimates Clemson has “29 or 30” this time around; there are proven starters at running back, punter and quarterback – although the latter has plenty of drama as incumbent starter Kelly Bryant, star newcomer Trevor Lawrence, and prized returners Hunter Johnson and Chase Brice all split reps over the next month-and-a-half.

Swinney said this spring will offer every player an opportunity to prove he is the best at his position. That should make for some exciting competition across the board with the Tigers’ blend of established veterans and highly-touted freshmen on their roster.

Could this be the deepest team Clemson’s ever had? Swinney said he’ll be able to answer more confidently at the end of spring camp, but the pieces are all there.

“It’s possible. We’ve got a lot of talent but I want to come out of spring feeling like it’s functional talent,” he said. “We have a chance to put it together that way. We’ve had years where one side of the ball was very veteran-led … this is one of those years where we feel like we’ve got leadership at every position and experience at every position on both sides.

“That’s a good place to start.”

Clemson will run 14 practices through March and half of April before closing the spring with its annual spring game on April 14.